Ragnar Relay begins in Lancaster on Friday

Philadelphia resident Carrie Snyder left her desk job more than two years ago to take up a more nontraditional route.

She became a Pennsylvania-based Race Director for Ragnar Events, LLC, a Utah-based organization that hosts 200-mile overnight Ragnar Relays across the nation. The organization began 11 years ago and now holds races in 15 locations throughout the country, including Lancaster, which will host its second annual Ragnar Relay racing series on Friday.

The race will weave through the hillsides of Lancaster's famed Amish country and wind north through Reading, Pottsville and Lehighton before finishing near the high slopes of the Poconos on Saturday.

Snyder had experience with race planning, as she founded a half marathon out of Philadelphia in 2010. Previously, though, she was a regular 9-to-5'er, with desk work to boot.

"I decided two years ago that I was sick of the quote-unquote cubicle work and applied for Ragnar," Snyder said recently. "They happened to have a position open for this area. It oddly aligned really well."

Snyder said nearly 900 individuals compiling 80 teams have registered for the Lancaster-to-Poconos Ragnar Relay event -- down from 100 teams in 2011 -- with most teams consisting of 12 individuals -- which equates to 16 miles of running per person.

Some teams, however, are just comprised of six members, leaving 33 miles between each individual to cover through the rolling Pennsylvania landscape.

Snyder said the process of packaging the Pennsylvania version of the Ragnar Relay together has taken a full year, with responsibilities including receiving proper permits in multiple townships, road clearances, use of public property, gathering resources and amenities, marketing, advertising and communications.

"I’m really big on providing the runner experience," said Snyder, who has physically run at least two Ragnar Relays in other states over the last two years. "The runners will be up for two days nonstop, so we need to provide basic amenities, hot showers on the course and plenty of hot food."

Two years ago, Ragnar opened up operations in Pennsylvania, giving Snyder the perfect opportunity to step aboard a growing industry of ultra-marathon relays. The American Odyssey Relay Run Adventure, which is a 200-mile relay that begins in Gettysburg and ends in Washington, D.C. also offers a similar experience.

Snyder sees the Ragnar Relay as an event that can bring large groups of people together for one common purpose. Running.

"I would say it’s something very unique in the sense that you get to run a relay with a team and people," Snyder said. "It really brings people together and being sleep deprived, spending time in vans, there's a community aspect to it that you can't get everywhere."

Exchange points are typically five to six miles apart, with most exchanges located in large open places, like parking lots, Snyder said. After teams have completed their relay, a post-race festival of sorts will take place at Pocono Manor, where runners will be able to eat, drink and bask in the revelry of their accomplishment.

"We finish at the driving range and we'll have an announcer, awards, a beer garden, a great food truck and we'll have some of the sponsors out there," Snyder said. "There's music and it's basically a big party all day."